1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved transport assembly and more particularly relates to an improved trailer or carriage and container arrangement which provides for ready assembly of a plurality of containers unto a carriage structure and lifting of the same for mass movement of such containers from one station to another.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the materials moving art, it has long been known to assemble large bulk items as a group unto a trailer and to move such trailer from one site or work station to another for additional processing or for disposal. Many of the bulk items to be moved require substantial manpower energy and present potential risks of injury in movement and loading unto the transport carriages, as well as requiring substantial time to accomplish the task with frequent risk of damage or injury to the material or personnel involved in loading. Various structures are known in the art of material handling for accomplishing the transport task. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,999, issued to Reinhard Waleroski on Jan. 4, 1972, a transport device for moving large containers is disclosed which includes two entirely separate independent wheel mounted carriage units to allow carriage movement and positioning on opposite sides of the container to be moved, each carriage being provided with a separate cantilevered lifting arrangement to raise the container for transport. The more recent U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,137 issued to Joseph B. Kucera on Feb. 28, 1978, teaches a transport device for handling large bales including a pair of support ramps mounted on a carriage which ramps are moveable in a forward direction to straddle the lower sides of a bale, the ramps being lifted for bale transport and lowered for bale unloading. Other material lifting and moving trailers such as the straddle arrangements disclosed by long expired U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,803, issued to C. C. Clinton on July 26, 1959, and by more recent U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,999, issued to W. H. Schwartz et al on May 26, 1970, and the fork lifting arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,545, issued to Charles J. Ellerd on Jan. 21, 1975, are known in the art but such trailers have been generally complex in their construction, operation and maintenance, have presented a number of protruding parts which could be damaging to both materials and operating personnel and have, in many instances, been limited to the specific article to be lifted and moved.
The present invention, recognizing these limitations of the prior art provides a carriage and container arrangement for lifting and transporting heavy containers in multiple numbers, in an organized and time saving operation, and with a minimum of manual energy and risk of injury to personnel and material. Concomitantly, the present invention provides an arrangement which allows for ready movement and manipulation of large containers in limited space and which allows for efficient movement of such containers in multiple numbers over extensive distances, optimizing the use of existing and supplementary container rolling equipment.
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth hereinafter.